Fair Isle, a tiny island sandwiched between Orkney and Shetland, is renowned for its colourful knitwear. But unlike Harris Tweed, authentic Fair Isle products have no legal protection. Instead, they have to compete against a mountian of foreign-made goods that bear the island’s name. And the future doesn’t look good: the island has just four remaining knitters, who produce about 260 items a year between them.
Would legal protection help Fair Islanders, or would it merely damage the economies of neighbouring Shetland, where a lot of Fair Isle branded knitwear is currently made? Read more at The Economist and decide for yourself.
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